CCHF: Iraq’s Kirkuk mourns another health worker

Shafaq News/ Iraq’s Kirkuk province recorded a new death from Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), a medical source at the Kirkuk Health Directorate revealed on Saturday.

The source told Shafaq News that the latest victim, an employee in the laboratory department at Kirkuk Teaching Hospital, had been diagnosed with the virus several days earlier and later died from complications, adding, “This is the second fatality among health workers in Kirkuk during the current surge in cases.”

Kirkuk Health Directorate intensified preventive measures across medical facilities, conducting health screenings for staff to limit potential transmission, the source noted, pointing out that the latest death raises the province’s fatality count to four since the beginning of this year’s outbreak.

Meanwhile, health officials in al-Anbar province emphasized that no confirmed CCHF cases have been recorded there to date. Mohammed Sabah Dawood, Head of the Public Health Department at al-Anbar Health Directorate, explained to our agency that all reported cases remain “suspected” pending laboratory confirmation.

“Preventive protocols were implemented promptly after initial alerts, helping contain the situation and prevent further spread,” Dawood clarified, stressing the ongoing coordination between health teams and hospitals to strengthen surveillance and emergency response across the province.

Public health campaigns and monitoring efforts remain active, he said, urging citizens to disregard unverified reports on social media and other outlets and to rely solely on official updates to avoid “unnecessary panic.”

According to Shafaq News tracker, 27 CCHF cases had been recorded nationwide since the beginning of the year, including four fatalities.

CCHF, transmitted by tick bites or contact with infected animal blood, is highly contagious and can be fatal in more than 40% of cases, particularly if not treated promptly.